Love Will Thaw
by Thepopcornpup
Summary: (Modern AU) "Why do you even care about me!" Elsa demands. "I'm not even related to you!" "That doesn't matter!" I respond. "We're still sisters."
1. Prolouge

**Author's Note: Hi! This is my first modern AU story, so I hope you like it! This is told from Anna's POV.**

* * *

><p><em>BRRRRING!<em>

The moment that the bell rings, I dash out of the classroom and practically jump onto the bus.

"Geez, Anna!" Kristoff exclaims as he walks toward me. "How much sugar was in your lunch today?"

"None!" I answer. "I'm just excited! Really excited!"

"I couldn't tell," Kristoff rolls his eyes.

"I can't help it!" I gush. "This is probably the best day of my life!"

"Congratulations Anna," Kristoff says, grinning. "I think it's great that your parents are adopting. I know how it feels when someone accepts you into their family."

"Well, your parents gave my parents the idea." I tell him.

Kristoff was adopted into my neighbors' giant family a few years ago. After seeing how it changed Kristoff's life, my parents eventually decided to adopt my soon-to-be sister, Elsa.

"Ugh!" I moan, leaning on Kristoff's shoulder. "How long is this bus ride?!"

"As long as it always is," He answers.

"That question was rhetorical." I respond.

"No kidding," Kristoff sighs.

After about an eternity, my bus finally arrives at my street. Kristoff and I run off of the bus.

"Hey, Anna!" He calls before walking into his house.

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna be an awesome sister." He assures, smiling.

"Thank you!" I reply as he walks in.

I take a deep breath as I walk up to the door. As soon as I go inside, everything will change. I won't be an only child anymore. I won't have that big empty room to myself anymore. I won't say "No" when someone asks if I have any brothers or sisters anymore.

For the first time in forever, I won't be alone.


	2. Meeting Elsa

**Author's Note: By the way, Anna is 11 and Elsa is 13. I know they're 3 years apart in the movie (18,21) but I thought this would work better.**

* * *

><p>I sit in an uncomfortable wooden chair, tapping my foot anxiously. My parents sit next to me, filling out the adoption sheets.<p>

After a whole lot of paperwork and impatience, the moment I've been waiting for finally arrives.

The orphanage director leads a girl who is a few years older than me downstairs. Her pale blonde hair is tied up into a bun and her icy blue eyes stare at us, wide-eyed.

"Elsa, these are the Andersens," the orphanage director smiles. "They're your new family!"

Elsa gives a shy smile.

"Elsa, we are so happy to have you as a part of our family!" Mama hugs Elsa. Elsa's eyes grow wider. She stiffly returns the hug.

When Mama lets go, I grin, "I'm Anna! I'm really, insanely excited! Well, not insane, I'm not insane; I'm mentally stable."

I feel my cheeks heat up. "I'm mentally stable" is my first impression?!

To my great relief, Elsa lets out a small laugh. "It's nice to meet you." She mumbles.

After Elsa says goodbye to the orphanage director and all of the other girls at the orphanage, and we get all of Elsa's things loaded into the trunk of our car, we start on our way home.

"I hope that you don't mind," Papa says. "But, you'll be sharing a room with Anna."

It takes Elsa a few moments to respond. I start to get nervous that she doesn't want to, but she eventually squeaks, "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Mama asks. "Because we have a guest room that we can easily make into your room."

_Please say you're sure,_ I silently beg.

Elsa looks at me and then back at Mama. "I'm sure."

* * *

><p>"Ta-da!" I open my arms wide as I show Elsa my-our-room, finishing off my personal tour of the house. "It's usually messier. At least my side of the room."<p>

Elsa giggles and sets her suitcase down on her bed.

"Well?" I ask, wringing my hands. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" She echoes. "I love it. You have a really nice home, Anna."

"It's your home, too." I point out.

Elsa grins and sits on the bed. Her eyes move over to the bookshelf.

"They're your books now, too." I tell her. "You can get one to read, if you want."

"Thanks." She walks over to the shelf. "What's your favorite?"

"The collection of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales." I answer, almost immediately. "Especially 'The Snow Queen'. Mama used to read them to me when I was little."

Elsa smiles and takes it off of the shelf. "I've never read that one."

I gasp. "Really?!"

"I mainly read Grimm fairy tales as a kid." Elsa says, looking at her shoes.

"Well, we've got to read it now!" I dive onto her bed happily. "It's my favorite!"

Elsa hands me the book. "Go ahead."

I laugh and start. "Once upon a time, there was a mirror…"

* * *

><p>I wake up with a start. I hear a small noise, but I can't tell what it is. I hold my breath, trying to hear it. Is it…crying?<p>

I grab a flashlight from my nightstand and point it toward Elsa's bed. Sure enough, she's curled up into a ball on her bed, softly crying.

"Elsa?" I whisper. "Are you okay?"

Elsa lets out a little scream.

"Elsa?" I tiptoe over to her bed. "It's just me!"

"Oh," Elsa sighs shakily. "Anna. I-I'm fine."

"Why were you crying?"

"…I had a bad dream."

She hesitated, but I don't point it out.

"Do you want me to keep the light on?" I offer.

Elsa looks embarrassed. "No, that's okay. Don't worry about me. You can go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you up."

"Don't worry about that," I respond. "I usually sleep in anyway."

I walk back over to my bed. "Good night, Elsa."

"Good night, Anna." She whispers back.


	3. Technical Difficulties

_Things I know about Elsa:_

_- She doesn't talk much._

_- She likes to read._

_- She's never read any Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. (Until last night.)_

_- She doesn't like to tell people why she's crying. (I do; they usually make me feel better.)_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Oh. My. Gosh! I got about a jazillion follows and favorites! (Maybe I'm exageratting. Just a little bit. ) Thank you! And the reviews were awesome! Probably some of the nicest reviews ever!<strong>

**By the way, I have no idea how this chapter got so long. It just did.**

* * *

><p>I do end up sleeping in. At 10:30 am, I wake up to the sun blinding me through the curtains.<p>

"Mngh…" I groan tiredly. "Why do I have sleep by the window? Ugh…"

I continue making unpleasant groaning noises as I push myself up to a sitting position. I rub my eyes, but stop short when I hear a noise coming from downstairs. It sounds like music. The piano to be exact. Is Mama playing?

Curiously, I walk downstairs, following the sound of the song. There's singing now, too.

_"…Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore!"_

It's a pretty voice, but one I haven't heard before. It couldn't be Mama.

_"Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door!"_

I stop outside of the living room. I peek in the doorway to see Elsa, playing the piano and singing a song I've never heard before.

_"I don't care what they're going to say! Let the storm rage on…"_

She seems really into the music. Her fingers glide across the piano as she belts out the words to the song with all the emotion of a professional singer. I decide not to interrupt.

_"The cold never bothered me anyway!"_

She keeps playing the piano beautifully. I let out a small gasp at how good she is.

"Ah!" Elsa screams and falls off of the piano bench.

"Oh my gosh!" I cry, rushing over to her. "Are you okay?"

Elsa catches her breath and looks up at me. "H-How much did you see?" She asks, blushing furiously.

"Um, since _'Let it go?'_" I answer.

Elsa's blush turns an even deeper red. "I-I'm sorry, I thought that you were sleeping." She mutters. "Mr. and Mrs. Andersen went out to get some flour for the pancakes, and I, um, thought that I was alone. Sorry you had to see that."

"Had to? Elsa, that was amazing!" I exclaim. "I'm sorry that I interrupted! Did you write that yourself?!"

Elsa looks down, her cheeks as red as beets. "It's just a thing I wrote while I was at the orphanage. Well, I made up the tune before that, but not the words. It's pretty stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid!" I respond. "Elsa, you're, like, a piano prodigy or something!"

"I'm no prodigy," She says, looking down. "I used to take lessons, that's all."

"They were good lessons!" I tell her.

"Thanks," Elsa mumbles. Then, she gets up from the piano bench. "I'll just go and,um, get dressed now."

With that, she scurries out of the room and up the stairs.

"Anna! Elsa!" Mama's voice calls as the front door opens. "We're home!"

I run up to the door. "Hi Mama! Hi Papa!"

"Hey Sunshine!" Papa grins. "Where's Elsa?"

"Getting dressed," I answer.

"Anna, how do you manage to turn your hair into such a bird's nest while you're sleeping?" Mama asks, shaking her head. "Why don't you comb your hair? Then, you and Elsa can come downstairs and we can tell you what we're going to do today."

I nod and go upstairs.

I knock on the door. "Elsa? Can I come in?"

"Sure." Elsa answers.

I walk in to see Elsa sitting on her bed, pulling her hair into a bun. She's wearing the same blue sweater she wore yesterday, and she's got on the same white jeans.

Before I can think, I ask, "Are those the only clothes you have?" Then, my hands fly over my mouth and I exclaim, "Oh my gosh! That came out so rude! I didn't mean it that way! I meant it like, you know, you can borrow some of my clothes. Though, we're probably not the same size. Not that you're big! I didn't mean it like that! You're not big at all, but I'm eleven, and you're thirteen, and you're taller than me and-"

Elsa stops me, looking startled. "Anna! It's fine!" She assures. "I know you didn't mean it rudely. I just don't have very many clothes. I just have the things people donated to the orphanage. I don't really need anything more."

I sigh in relief and sit down next to her. "Well, Mama and Papa are home."

Elsa nods and looks away.

We sit there for a moment. I want to ask her so many things, but they just won't come out. I just awkwardly comb my hair next to her, trying to think of a conversation starter.

Elsa starts opens the Hans Christian Andersen book. I lean over her shoulder to see that she's reading The Little Mermaid.

"That's a good one," I pipe up. "Of course, all of them are good ones."

Elsa smiles at me and continues reading.

I've about mustered up the courage to ask one of my many questions when Mama calls, "Breakfast's ready!"

Forgetting my question, I zoom downstairs, following the alluring smell of Mama's family-renowned chocolate chip pancakes.

By the time Elsa sits down, I'm already halfway through my first pancake. Her eyes light up at the sight of our breakfast. "It's been forever since I've had chocolate!" She grins.

Mama and Papa sit down. "So, girls, as a celebration of Elsa's adoption, we've decided to have a little family outing today." Papa explains.

"Den wheb ib Eba'b wecome parry goib boo be?" I ask, mouth stuffed with pancakes. (Translation: Then when is Elsa's welcome party going to be?)

"That's not until next weekend." Mama answers.

"You don't have to throw a party for me." Elsa says.

"Oh, honey, we want to!" Mama smiles.

Elsa gives a slight smile in return, looking down at her plate.

Swallowing my giant mouthful, I ask eagerly, "What are we going to do today?"

"Well, that's up to Elsa!" Papa responds. "What do you want to do?"

"Um…I don't really know," Elsa stammers. "You guys can choose."

"But since this is our first family outing with you, we wanted to let you choose." Mama says. "We can do whatever you want. It's up to you."

Elsa looks around. "Erm…do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh! Oh!" I gulp down more pancakes and stand up. "The city fair is in town! We can go there!"

Mama, Papa, and Elsa stare at me blankly.

Slowly, I sit down. "I mean, um, if that's what you want to do."

"That sounds good to me." Elsa responds.

"Are you sure? Because we can do anything." Mama says.

Elsa nods.

"Okay, then!" Papa claps his hand. "Well, I'll print out directions, Anna can get dressed, and we'll get going."

I look down to see that I'm still wearing my nightgown. Quickly, I finish the rest of my pancakes and run up to Elsa and my room. I grab a pink t-shirt and jeans. I pull my favorite green jacket on over it.

"Anna! Come on! We're ready!" Papa calls.

I jump downstairs and leap into the car next to Elsa.

"Now, I want you girls to stay together, always." Mama tells us. "You don't have to stay with Papa and I the whole time, since it's a small fair, but, call us every hour."

"Yes, ma'am!" I duitifully salute, which makes Elsa giggle.

We turn into the parking lot and I beam with excitement.

Once we get our tickets, I practically drag Elsa to the Ferris Wheel.

"You aren't afraid of heights, are you?" I ask.

Elsa shakes her head.

Eagerly, I run up the ramp and we climb into a red ferris wheel car. (I forget the technical names for those things.)

"So, have you ever been on a ferris wheel before?" I ask as it turns upward.

"Once." Elsa replies simply.

"When was it?"

"Um… I was about five," Elsa answers, looking away. "My parents took me to Disneyland."

I mentally slap myself. She looks miserable at the mention of her parents.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It's not your fault," Elsa says, still not looking at me.

We sit there in silence as the ferris wheel creaks to a stop. We're right at the top.

A microphone crackles and a muffled voice says, "Attention Fairgoers, we're experiencing some technical difficulties with the ferris wheel. It probably won't take long to fix. Repeat, we're experiencing some technical difficulties with the ferris wheel. Thank you for your patience."

"Um, maybe they mean some other ferris wheel." I fake-grin.

Elsa looks around. "There isn't another one."

"I know!" I groan. "Ugh, don't worry. I'll tell Mama and Papa what's going on."

I reach into my pockets to pull out my phone. But, there's nothing there.

"Great!" I sigh. "Well, Mama and Papa probably heard the announcement; they'll know that we're fine. Right?"

"Right." Elsa responds, her voice cracking.

I turn to her to see that her hands are visibly shaking.

"Elsa? Are you alright?" I question.

Elsa swallows and nods. "Of course I am."

"You don't look alright," I counter.

"Anna," She says sharply. "I'm fine."

"Okay," I continue to look at her unsurely. Her face is paler than usual and she looks sick.

Elsa notices that I'm staring at her, so she looks away again.

The wind picks up, and the ferris wheel car starts swinging back and forth, making a horrible scraping sound.

"Oh, gosh." Elsa croaks, putting her head in her hands.

"It's okay," I assure, reaching out to her.

"How do you know?!" She blurts out, making me jump. "You never know if anything is going to be okay! This 'completely safe' car could fly off of it's hinges right now!"

I gape at her as she starts crying. "Elsa…"

"I'm so sorry," She sputters through tears. "That was completely inappropriate."

I climb over to her seat and hug her.

"You're not supposed to get up until the ride is over," She sniffs.

"Well, I can't hug you from over there."I say.

"Thank you." Elsa mumbles, smiling.

We hug for a little while as Elsa calms down.

I eventually pull back. "I have an idea to get our minds off of this. We'll play two truths and a lie."

"What's that?" Elsa asks, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.

"It's a game where one person tells two true things about themself, and one lie." I explain. "I'll go first. Okay; 1. I love chocolate. 2. I can do a backflip. 3. I was the lead in my fifth grade play."

Elsa grins. "Hmmm…number 2?"

I nod. "I've been trying for years, but I always end up falling on my face. But, I'm not sure if you could count number 3 too successful, either. We did the Wizard of Oz, and I tripped over my feet when we 'were off to see the wizard.'"

Elsa laughs slightly. "I can't do a backflip, either, and I'd never have the courage to even audition for a school play.

"Alright, let me think of mine…" Elsa taps her chin. "I think I've got it. 1. I don't like math. 2. I can't snap. 3. I love homemade ice cream bars."

"Number 2?" I guess.

Elsa shakes her head. "Number 1."

"Wait, what? You _like_ math?!" I exclaim.

Elsa blushes. "Mainly geometry."

"Wow…" I shake my head.

"I'm a freak, right?" She asks.

"No, you're smart." I answer.

Elsa sighs. "They said that the technical difficulties wouldn't take long."

"Don't panic," I say. "I'm sure that they'll-"

At that moment, the ferris wheel creaks to life and we continue moving.

"Haha! Yes!" I shout happily.

"We're moving!" Elsa laughs in relief.

"High five!" I cry, and we do so.

The man working the ferris wheel offers to let us off when we get to the bottom, and we gladly accept.

When we run off, Mama and Papa greet us. "Oh, girls! We were so worried! Are you okay?" Mama questions, hugging us.

"We're fine," I assure. "I got a bit scared, but Elsa comforted me the whole time."

I wink at Elsa and she smiles.

* * *

><p><strong>Up next: Elsa's first day of school!<strong>


	4. My Sister…If I Can Call Her That Yet

_Things I've learned about Elsa:_

_-She's a really good singer/songwriter/pianist_

_-She actually is afraid of heights_

_-She's been to Disneyland_

_-She likes math_

_-She can't snap_

_-She likes homemade ice cream bars (who doesn't?)_

_-She can't do a backflip either (That makes me feel better.)_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: These reviews are awesome! :-) <strong>

**By the way, Anna and Kristoff are in sixth grade, Hans is in seventh grade, and Elsa is in eigth grade.**

**I don't really have anything else to say except hat this is another long chapter. I hope you like it! **

* * *

><p>I sit on my bed, doodling.<p>

"Anna?"

I look up to see Elsa standing in the doorway. "Could I, erm, talk to you?"

"Of course!" I reply, a bit too excitedly. Elsa still doesn't talk much, even after our ferris wheel incident, so I jump at the opportunity to talk to her.

I move my papers and she sits down. "What's up?" I ask.

"Well, it's, um, it's about school." Elsa sighs. "What is it like?"

"Oh, well, it's like any school, really." I answer lamely.

"…That's-That's kind of the thing…" Elsa looks at her feet, blushing again. "I haven't really been to a proper school since I entered the orphanage, when I was eight, and,um, I've never been to a middle school…"

"Oh…" I look at her sympatheticly. "Were you tutored at the orphanage?"

Elsa nods, still blushing.

"Hey," I say softly, putting my hand on her shoulder. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Elsa looks up. "Are the kids there…nice?"

"Most of them are." I answer.

Elsa looks down again.

"You know, one of my friends is adopted, too." I tell her.

Elsa perks up. "Really?"

I nod. "His name's Kristoff. He lives right next door. He was adopted a few years ago."

Elsa smiles. Not just her shy smile, though; a real smile. But, then it falters when she asks, "Do the kids at your school…are they…" She looks away and mutters, "I sound so immature." She looks at me again and finishes, "Are they mean to him?"

I shake my head.

Elsa sighs, putting her head in her hands.

"Are you ready to go to school, yet?" I ask. "Mama said that you don't have to go right away."

"I don't really know," Elsa says. "But, I know I'll have to go eventually, and I guess I just want to get it over with."

"You can do it, Elsa." I assure her, looking her in the eyes.

"Can I?" She questions shakily.

"Sure you can," I smile. "I know you can."

* * *

><p><em>Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.<em>

"Mngh!" I groan, rolling over and pressing the snooze button.

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP._

"MNGH!" I grab my alarm and switch it off. Mama had to get me the alarm that beeps louder when you hit snooze.

I drag myself out of bed to see Elsa still sleeping. I walk over to her bed and crouch next to her. "Psst. Elsa. Psst. Elsa."

"Hmm?" She mumbles.

"Wake up." I whisper.

"Anna…" She murmurs, half asleep. "Go back to sleep…"

"We can't," I answer, shaking her. "The sky's awake, so it's time for school."

Elsa grins, opening her eyes slightly. "The sky's awake?" She asks groggily. "What's that mean?"

"It's my way of saying the sun is rising," I reply.

Elsa laughs a little. "I like it."

"Thanks," I reply. "Are you ready?"

Elsa sighs. "As ready as I'll ever be."

I pat her arm. "I'll be right there for you. I promise."

* * *

><p>"Come on, girls! Hurry or we'll miss the bus!" Mama calls, ushering us out of the door.<p>

We walk-run to the bus stop. Mama kneels down, putting her hands on Elsa's shoulders. "Have you got everything?" She asks softly. "Folders? Binders? Pencils?"

Elsa nods.

"You and Anna will go to the office and get your schedule and locker, okay?" Mama tells her.

"Okay." Elsa says.

"Oh!" Mama pulls Elsa into a hug.

Just as they pull back, the bus arrives. The doors swing open and the bus driver watches us expectantly.

"Goodbye!" Mama calls.

Elsa lifts her foot to the step hesitantly. She takes a deep breath.

"Come on," the driver sighs.

"Hey!" I shout. "Don't-"

"Anna," Elsa interrupts. "It's okay."

With that, Elsa climbs up onto the bus, with me trailing behind her. We sit down in the front.

Elsa starts picking at her sweater nervously.

"So, Elsa," I say. "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Are there any more kids on this bus?" Elsa asks, still picking away at her sweater.

"Of course," I answer. "We're just the first stop."

As if on cue, the bus makes another stop, causing a stampede of kids to thunder onto the bus, yelling things like, "The bus was so late!" And "Hey, you!" And "I hate Mondays!"

Elsa looks shocked. She mutters something that I can't hear over the noise.

"What?" I ask, plugging one ear.

"Nothing!" She says loudly, trying to be heard. "I was just talking to myself."

Elsa goes back to picking at her sweater, making a blue string grow looser and looser, growing off of her sweater like a vine.

"Hey Andersen!" The person behind us calls.

I turn around. "Hey me?"

"Yeah," He says. It's a boy from my math class, whose name I can't remember,leaning over the top of the bus seat. "Who's the blonde?"

Elsa's cheeks glow pink.

"This is Elsa," I smile. "My…"

I trail off, looking from Elsa and him.

I finish, "My sister."

I glance at Elsa anxiously, hoping that she's comfortable with me saying that. Her face wears a look of complete shock. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

"I didn't know you had a sister," He comments, interrupting the moment.

"We just adopted her," I tell him distractedly, still watching Elsa. Her face hasn't changed.

"Cool," He says. He turns to Elsa. "Are you from another country or something?"

Elsa doesn't reply. She just keeps that numb look of shock on her face. She's even stopped playing with her sweater.

"Um, hellooo?" He asks, waving his hand in front of her face. "Earth to Ella?"

"Elsa," She suddenly corrects him, snapping out of her trance. "I-It's Elsa, not Ella."

"Okay," He nods slowly. "Well, are you-"

"No, I'm not from another country," Elsa interrupts. "I'm from the orphanage downtown."

"Alright," He still looks slightly creeped out from Elsa's moment.

Elsa returns to picking at her sweater, looking away from the boy from math. He sits back down in his seat.

I sit there awkwardly, staring at her. I knew that I shouldn't have said that. I know she's not ready to call us family. She still calls Mama and Papa "Mr. and Mrs. Andersen." What made me think she'd be ready for me to say that we're sisters?

"Um, listen, Elsa," I start to apologize while scratching my neck. "I-"

The bus stops in front of our school, interrupting me. I sigh and stand up, trying to find an opening in the row of kids stampeding off of the bus. Of course, no one lets us through. Elsa and I are the last ones off.

As we walk to the office, I continue, "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable by saying that we're sisters. I just…I don't know. I guess it just feels…right."

Elsa looks at her sneakers and mumbles a reply. "You're fine, Anna. I was the one who reacted so rudely." She silent for a moment. "It's just hard for me to accept and realize that I actually have a…_family."_ The last word comes out quieter than a mouse.

I put my arm around her, but her shoulders tense up. I draw back. "I-I'm sorry; I was just trying to comfort you."

"I-It's okay," She replies hoarsely. "I, um, have to use the restroom."

Elsa runs into the nearest restroom, leaving me alone in the hallway.

_You pushed it too far, Anna_, I tell myself. _Between hugging her and calling her your sister…but, she is my sister. **My sister.**_

Elsa comes out, cheeks red. "Sorry. Let's get my schedule." She says, brushing past me and avoiding eye contact.

I want to apologize again, but I decide that it's best not to bring it up again. "Alright."

We head into the office. I walk up to the desk.

"What do you need?" The woman at the desk asks.

"Do you have a schedule for Elsa Andersen?" I respond with a question.

Elsa starts to look uneasy again.

The woman clacks on her keyboard a little bit and says, "Ah, here it is. Just let me print it…"

Within a minute, Elsa is handed her new schedule.

"Thank you," She smiles shyly.

I lead her out to the hall. "What's your locker number?"

"207." She answers.

I grin. "Mine is 202. We're not that far!"

"That's good," Elsa says, smiling her shy smile again.

I lead her to her locker and help her set up her lock.

"What class do you have first?" I ask as she puts her books inside of locker 207.

Elsa glances at her schedule. "History in room 304."

I lead her down the hall and toward room 304. "Well, here we are." I announce as we stand in front of the door.

"Thank you." Elsa says. She's about to go in, but she hesitates slightly.

"Wait," I tell her.

Elsa turns around, and before she can argue or run, I pull into a hug. "Good luck," I whisper.

When we let go, Elsa replies, "Thank you."

She disappers into the history room, and I sigh. _Please be okay, Elsa._

* * *

><p>I find it incredibly hard to focus during theatre. All I can think about is how Elsa is doing. I don't know many of the eighth graders, only the ones that are in theater (there is more than one grade in the theater class), but the ones I don't know seem really rude. I just want-<p>

"Anna! Your line!"

"What?" I ask, pulling myself away from my thoughts.

"Your line," Our director says through clenched teeth.

"Oh, um, right," I fumble around for my script, trying to find the right page.

I earn glares from the whole cast. "Sorry," I grin half-heartedly.

As I search through the script, no doubt blushing, the door bursts open. I look up, blushing even more when I see who it is.

Hans Westerguard. Seventh grader, charming, smart, kind, and all together perfect.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Crockett," Hans apologizes as he sets down his backpack. "Traffic was just awful, but I went over my lines in the car."

"That's quite alright, Hans," Mrs. Crockett smiles.

Normally, Mrs. Crockett will hunt down anyone who is late to class like a lion to its prey, but not Hans. What did I tell you? Charming.

"Now, Anna," Mrs. Crockett continues, smile gone. "Your line?"

"Right…" I chuckle nervously. "My line is…"

"Page 24," A voice behind me whispers.

I turn to see Hans standing behind me. _Hans_ talking to_ me!_ "Mrs. Crockett told me we were on page 24."

"Th-thanks," I stammer, most likely fire hydrant red now.

* * *

><p>I stride into the lunch room, looking around. Kristoff isn't here. I sigh and sit down at our table. As I eatwait for Kristoff, I pull out a piece of paper and start doodling a snowman.

Kristoff doesn't end up showing up. He must be absent. The bell rings and I go to my locker. As I set my books in there, I'm hit by a crumpled up ball of paper. I turn around and standing there is Wesley, the world's worst locker partner, seeing as he hates me.

"Hey, Anna," He smirks smugly. "Were you lonely without your boyfriend at lunch today?"

"Kristoff's not my boyfriend," I respond annoyedly.

"What's this?" He rips the snowman drawing from my hand.

"Give it back." I demand.

"A snowman?" He asks, holding it up to the light. "Ha! It's not even November, you dork!"

"I know, I'm a freak, just give it back!" I reach for it, even though there's no hope of me reaching it. Wesley is about a foot taller than me.

"Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul!" Wesley sings mockingly. "You really have nothing better to do with your time than draw snowmen?"

I'm about to come up with a witty way to reply, but before I can, I'm interrupted by another voice. "Give it back to her!"

I look to see Elsa standing behind me, looking angry.

"Who the heck are you?" Wesley questions.

Instead of answering, Elsa repeats, "Give it back to her! You made her call herself a freak, and I won't tolerate that. Give it back and leave her alone!"

"Oh, you must be Anna's new sister, little orphan Annie!" Wesley taunts. "How cute! Anna needs her big sissy to protect her!"

Elsa's face flushes with anger. "Shut up!"

"You must be heartless to make fun of someone for being an orphan!" I growl.

By now, the other kids in the hall are all staring at us and whispering.

"Even cuter! They protect each other!" Wesley rolls his eyes. "The snowman and little orphan Annie."

Elsa balls her fists and starts walking toward him.

I put my hand on her arm. "Elsa, calm down."

"Calm down?!" Elsa questions incredulously. "How can I-"

"He's just a selfish idiot," I tell her. "Just ignore him."

"Anna, this kid is bullying you!" Elsa cries furiously. She turns back to Wesley. "You'd better leave my sister alone!"

Time stops. Elsa just called me her sister. She's comfortable calling me her sister. "…sister?" I whisper, frozen.

I snap back to reality when I see Elsa grab Wesley by the collar furiously. Wesley's smug smirk disappears and he pales.

"Elsa! Stop!" I shout, panicked.

Elsa ignores me and hisses, "Apologize to Anna, and don't you even think about talking to her again!"

"Woah…l-let go of me, you psycho!" Wesley sputters.

Elsa raises her fist.

"ELSA ANDERSEN!"

Our principal is gaping at her.

Elsa's anger vanishes and her eyes grow wide. She lets go of Wesley and backs away from him.

"Elsa…" I look at her in shock.

Elsa releases her fists and stares at her hands. She looks as if she is about to cry.

"Sh-she's insane!" Wesley stutters.

"Ms. Andersen," the principal scolds. "We do not tolerate violence at our school. Come with me."


	5. Suspension

_Things I've learned about Elsa:_

_- She's never been to a real middle school_

_- She was tutored at the orphanage_

_- When she's nervous, she picks at her sweater_

_- When she gets angry, she gets **angry**_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Well, this chapter took longer than expected. Sorry! But, anyway, here it is!<strong>

**By the way, I had originally said that this chapter took place a few weeks later, but midnight1339 pointed out my continuty error, SO this chapter now takes place the Monday after Elsa was adopted. :-)**

**I hope you like it!**

* * *

><p>Elsa, Wesley and I sit in the office while the principal talks to our parents.<p>

"I'm sure that you saw this out of context, Mrs. Trails," Papa says. "Granted, we haven't known her for long, but Elsa would never attempt to beat up anyone."

"That's not true!" Wesley counters, standing up. "She almost choked me by pulling my collar! She would've punched me if-"

"Wesley, now is not your time to speak." sighs.

Mama turns around and looks at Elsa sadly. "Elsa? Why would you do that?"

Elsa shakes her head, refusing to speak. She has tears streaming down her face.

I decide to answer for her. "She was just trying to defend me. Wesley was pushing me and her around, and it made us angry. But, Elsa didn't mean any of this."

"What was Wesley doing to you two?" Mrs. Trails asks.

"At first, he was just being annoying like he always is-"

"Anna!" Mama interrupts sharply.

"What? He _is_ annoying." I say defensively. "Anyway, he stole my drawing and Elsa told him to give it back, and then he started mocking Elsa for being an orphan and for defending me. That made us really mad, and then…" I trail off, giving Elsa a sideways glance.

"Then, Elsa tried to kill me!" Wesley finishes dramatically.

Mrs. Trails sighs and says, "Well, both Wesley and Elsa will have to face punishment."

"What?! Me?!" Wesley stands up. "B-but, I didn't do anything! It was her! She's traumatized me!"

"Wesley, that will be quite enough!" Mrs. Trails cuts him off sharply. "Elsa will have a 10 day suspension and Wesley will have a 1 day suspension."

"10?!" I exclaim.

"Anna, calm down." Mama says.

"Now, kids," Mrs. Trails says to Elsa, Wesley and I. "I'd like to talk to Mrs. Andersen alone, so if you could wait outside."

We slump out of the office and sit in the chairs against the wall.

"You know, your precious sister over her left scratch marks on my neck," Wesley tells me, pulling his collar down to show me. "I bet it's gonna scar."

Elsa pulls her knees up to her chest and hides her face, crying harder.

"Would you shut up?!" I hiss, holding back the urge to slap him. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for you!"

"I was harmlessly teasing you, and Elsa overreacted." Wesley argues. "You should get anger management classes for her."

I decide to ignore him and I turn to Elsa. "Are you okay?" I ask, putting a hand on her shoulder.

I see her head move slightly from between her knees, and I take it as a "no."

I'm about to say something more, but our parents come out. "Anna, you're supposed to go to sixth period now." Papa says. "Come on, Elsa. Let's go home."

"But, I want to be with Elsa." I frown.

Papa gives me a look that says now is is not the time to argue.

I nod, and trudge away. I give one last look at Elsa, who is walking away, sniffling. I turn back, holding back tears myself.

* * *

><p>"Mama? Papa?"<p>

Mama and Papa look up to see me in their doorway. "Hey, kiddo," Papa greets. "What's wrong?"

I shuffle into their room and sit on their bed. "I'm worried about Elsa. She hasn't talked to me at all since I got home, and she didn't come to dinner."

"Oh, sweetheart," Mama pulls me into a hug. "Elsa's just having a hard time adjusting. When your principal talked to us in private, she said that's probably what caused her sudden outburst. But, when Elsa gets off of her suspension, she has weekly sessions scheduled with the school councilor."

"But, I want to help her more," I say. "I don't like seeing her this way."

"That's very sweet of you, Anna, but, we're doing everything that we can." Mama replies. "Just, hang in there, alright?"

"Alright." I nod.

"Get some rest, honey." Mama smiles weakly.

I say my "good nights" to Mama and Papa and head back upstairs. I hesitantly walk into the room to see Elsa fast asleep with the Hans Christian Andersen book sprawled open on her chest. The lamp is the only light in the room, and she's still wearing the sweater that she wore to school. It looks as if she fell asleep while reading. I grin slightly at the sight of her.

I walk over to turn off her lamp. I have my hand on the switch when Elsa shifts in her sleep. I freeze, hoping not to wake her up. She mumbles something.

"What?" I ask, unsure if she's awake or not.

"This isn't happening…" She mumbles again. Her face contorts into a frown, and her eyebrows furrow. "…I didn't mean…I didn't know…I…"

She pulls the covers up to her head. She's shaking a lot.

"No!" Her voice is clearer now. "I'm sorry! It's not her fault!"

I start shaking her, trying to wake her up. "Elsa! It's just a dream!" I whisper.

"No!" Elsa chokes out, still out of it, but crying now. "She helps me! Don't take her away!"

"Elsa!" I say out loud. "Wake up! It's okay!"

Her eyes snap open, and she looks disoriented.

"Elsa, are you alright?" I ask softly.

Elsa looks at me and nods slowly. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I question.

"I'm fine now, Anna." She answers, out of breath. "You can go back to bed."

"I wasn't asleep," I tell her. "Are you positive that you're okay?"

"Yes," She says, but her tearstained face tells a different story. "I'm positive. I'll go change into my pajamas."

Elsa climbs out of bed and grabs her nightgown. She brushes past me and goes into the bathroom to change.

I don't know what's going on with her, but I know one thing for sure: she's not positive.

* * *

><p>"Hey, you're Elsa's sister, right?"<p>

I turn away from my locker and see an eighth grade girl standing in front of me. "Um, yes?"

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" She asks.

I bite my bottom lip, as I always do when I'm upset. "There's nothing wrong with her."

"Well, she beat up a sixth grader," the girl counters. "I mean, she got suspended after one day of school!" She laughs a little bit.

"She didn't beat him up," I tell her angrily. "And, I'm well aware that she got suspended, yes."

"I'm just saying, there could be something wrong with her," The girl says. "You don't know her that well. She's not even your real sister."

"Just because we're not related doesn't mean we're not sisters!" I yell.

The girl holds up her hands. "Calm down! Gee, I guess you're a whole family of hot-heads!"

As she walks away, I slam my locker shut. This has been happening all day, or something similar. I'll walk innto a room and a group of people will stop talking, so I know that they were talking about Elsa. She's now known as "The Girl Who Got Suspended On Her First Day." There's more things to gossip about than this. Don't they have anything better to talk about?

I sigh and walk to lunch. But, I smile when I see that Kristoff is back.

"Hey!" I greet, sitting down. "Where were you?"

"I was sick," Kristoff answers.

"I really wanted you to meet Elsa yesterday," I tell him.

"What about today?" Kristoff asks.

"She's not here," I reply. "Haven't you heard about it?"

Kristoff shakes his head. "You really think I pay attention to gossip?"

I laugh a bit. "True. Well, have you heard about The Girl Who Got Suspended On Her First Day?"

"Wait, was that Elsa?" Kristoff raises his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Bingo," I respond. "But, you've probably heard it out of context."

"She beat someone up, right?" Kristoff asks.

"Wrong!" I sigh. "Almost beat someone up."

"Okay, but, um, why?" Kristoff adds.

"Well, Wesley was being a jerk to me," I explain. "And, then he started making fun Elsa for being an orphan. Between the two of us, Elsa got mad and almost…you know. But now, everyone's saying she did beat him up for no reason. Elsa deserves a better first impression than that! This isn't like her, trust me."

"Hm," Kristoff puts his hand on his chin as he thinks of how to respond.

"Are you stroking your imaginary thinking beard?" I joke.

"What?" Kristoff looks down. "Oh. I think I got this habit from my grandpa.

"I think that Elsa is going to be fine," Kristoff says. "Gossip passes, people get bored of talking about it, and move on to something else. As long as Elsa doesn't try to beat up anyone else, she'll be alright."

I sigh. "I hope you're right."

"When have I ever been wrong?" Kristoff asks.

"When you got kicked out of the store for calling the clerk a crook," I answer.

"No, he totally tried to make me pay more than I should have," Kristoff argues. "I saw the price tag!"

"Yes, but did you really think he would've sold anything to you after you called him a crook?" I point out.

Kristoff frowns. "Touché. But, trust me on this one, Anna. If Elsa really is the great person you've been telling me about, which I don't doubt she is, she'll make a better second impression."

* * *

><p>Neither Mama nor Papa's cars are in the driveway when I come home, so I'm not surprised to hear a familiar voice filling the house when I open the door.<p>

_"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen,"_

Instead of hiding in the doorway, I decide to listen from upstairs, so that Elsa doesn't see me.

_"A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the queen,"_

Those words break my heart. Of course Elsa feels isolated; she's been alone in an orphanage for how many years? I want to tell her that she's not alone anymore; she has me.

_"The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside, couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried…"_

_Couldn't keep it in?_ Has she lost her temper before?

_"Don't let them in, don't let them see…"_

I continue to listen for a while. I smile when she gets to the chorus. She sounds so happy. I dare to peek into the room, leaning over the railing of the stairs.

_"It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears-"_

She plays a wrong note on the piano, but she doesn't stop singing. Instead, she gets off of the piano bench and continues, _"that once controlled me can't get to me at all!"_

I watch as she keeps singing, joy written all over her face. I've never seen her so happy.

_"Here I stand in the light of day! Let the storm rage on! The cold never bothered me anyway."_

I grin when she finishes. I want to clap, but it's probably best that she doesn't know that I was watching her.

I sling my backpack back over my shoulder and slip into the room, pretending that I just got home. "Hey Elsa," I greet.

"Oh, Anna," Her smile fades and she starts wringing her hands. "Hi."

I glance into the kitchen. "Do you want to get a snack?" I offer.

"I'm not hungry," She replies. "But, thank you."

I notice that she still won't make eye contact with me. She hasn't since yesterday.

"I think I'll go upstairs," She says softly. With that, she makes a beeline toward our room.

I follow behind her. I walk up to a closed door. "Elsa? Can I come in?"

She doesn't reply.

"Elsa?"

Silence.

"Elsa? Do you want to do something?" I offer. "I feel kind of awkward, asking you to play like a little kid."

Nothing.

"I haven't really seen you since yesterday," I continue. "You…you can tell me anything, you know."

The door clicks open. Elsa stands there, her eyes bloodshot. She looks equal parts tired and stressed out. "Anything?" She asks.

"Of course," I smile.

Elsa sighs, and steps aside to let me in. She falls onto her bed and I sit next to her. She starts rubbing her temples. "I really have no idea how that happened. I just felt something…like this need to defend you. But, I'm a horrible person."

I put my hand on hers. "You are not a horrible person," I assure her. "That has to be the bravest thing anyone has ever done for me. I'm notthe saying that beating people up is a good thing, but you're the first person to ever defend me. That little weasel has been picking on me since third grade, and nobody's ever stood up for me."

Elsa shakes her head. "I really did almost punch him, Anna."

"Don't let him get to you-"

"No, Anna, I really did!" She interrupts. She looks up at me with watery eyes. "I really would have punched him if the principal hadn't stopped me. I almost punched him. I almost hurt him!"

"But, you didn't!" I point out. "And, that's what matters, right?"

Elsa bites her lip and shakes her head again, looking down. "No, it's not. What matters is that I'm dangerous."

"Elsa," I sigh. "It was an accident. You can't be so hard on yourself."

"How are you not scared of me?" She asks. "I didn't even last one day before getting suspended! Aren't you worried that I'm some sort jerk?"

"No," I answer. "Because, even though I've only known you for a few weeks, I know that you're a good person with the best intentions. And, even if you had punched him, I still would know that. That wouldn't have changed a thing. I promise."

Suddenly, Elsa hugs me. She was the first one to hug; not me. She _voluntarily_ hugged me. After getting over my shock, I hug her back.

"Thank you," She says, her voice cracking.

"Everything I said was true, you know," I assure her.

"You're my best friend," Elsa smiles, pulling away. Then, her eyes light up. "No, you're more than that. You're my sister."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: In case it wasn't obvious, I didn't write Let It Go. Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez did. (But, Elsa did in the story ;) ) <strong>

**Next Chapter: Elsa's Welcome Party!**


End file.
